Meeting God in the Mess: Chaeli’s Graduation Story

 “When I started this year, I had no idea what I was doing.”

This line pretty much sums up how Chaeli’s journey at Pathways began — somewhere between excitement, exhaustion, and a very steep learning curve. New independence, new study, ministry placement, assignments piling up...

Like many students, they didn’t arrive feeling polished or prepared. They arrived willing.

Learning to Show Up Before Feeling Ready

This year was a crash course in holding a lot at once: study deadlines, early mornings, ministry nights, and the emotional weight that comes with stepping into leadership for the first time. There were moments of genuine doubt — moments where the question wasn’t what’s next, but why am I even here.

And yet, in the middle of the pressure, something shifted.

“I learned very quickly that ministry is not about having it all together. Ministry is about showing up even when you feel inadequate… and trusting that God fills the space between who you are and who you’re called to be.”

That realisation didn’t come in quiet, well-planned moments. It came in the chaos.

Where the Mess Became the Classroom

For Chaeli, a big part of that formation happened through her placement at CYC —  a camping ministry, and camping ministry is often demanding. Days were long, plans changed constantly, and kids had an uncanny ability to be everywhere except where they were meant to be.

And yet, this was where some of the deepest learning happened.

“CYC is also where I learned some of my favourite things this year.  Where leaders became family.   Where I realised you can be absolutely exhausted and still think,  Yep… this is exactly where I’m meant to be.”

Somewhere between assignments, camp life, and ministry, Chaeli began to see that God wasn’t waiting for the tidy days to show up.

Discovering a God Who Meets Us Mid-Chaos

One of the clearest threads running through this story is the way God met her in the unfinished, underprepared, slightly sleep-deprived moments.

“God didn’t just meet us on the tidy days… He met us in the mess.”

When energy ran low and confidence ran out, dependence grew. Instead of performing, there was learning to lean. Instead of striving to appear capable, there was trust — the kind that hands God a tired yes and watches Him make it enough.

Formed in Community, Not Isolation

This journey wasn’t walked alone. Classmates became family. Leaders offered patience, encouragement, and grace. Staff walked closely. Friends prayed. People showed up — again and again.

“He’ll shape you through the people around you, the kids you serve, the leaders who support you, the friends who pray for you… and the challenges that make you dig deeper into Him.”

That’s formation. Slow, relational, and deeply human.